


Edge Of Tomorrow

by WakingDreams



Series: Winter Tales [1]
Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Complete, Episode: s08e02 A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, F/M, Missing Scene, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-11
Updated: 2020-02-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:55:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22667368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WakingDreams/pseuds/WakingDreams
Summary: With the battle of the Long Night approaching, Jaime and Brienne finally address their feelings for each other.
Relationships: Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth
Series: Winter Tales [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1640449
Comments: 6
Kudos: 69





	Edge Of Tomorrow

**Author's Note:**

> Some dialogue has been taken from 8x02 and 8x05. The story is set right after the knighting of Brienne of Tarth and makes references to things that have happened on the show. It is my way of dealing with what actually went down in Season 8. Banner artwork is made by me.

“Arise Brienne of Tarth – a knight of the seven kingdoms.” The words resonated in Brienne’s head and for a fraction of a second, it felt like the world had come to a stop. All she could perceive was the wild beating of her heart and the presence of the man who had granted her her biggest wish – a wish she had always thought would remain nothing but a wild, secret fantasy.

Brienne took a deep breath and got back on her feet as gracefully as she could manage in the dizzy state she was in and in full heavy armor. Unshed tears clouded her vision but she kept her eyes steadily on Jaime’s as if he was her anchor in a storm of fears and self-doubts.

From a far distance – or so it seemed to her – she heard the sound of clapping followed by Tyrion Lannister proclaiming “Ser Brienne of Tarth – knight of the seven kingdoms” and echoing his brother’s words. Brienne could still barely tear her gaze away from Jaime who had sheathed Widow’s Wail by now and turned to go, not without giving her a final nod of encouragement though. It was only then that she finally turned to face the small group of men with them in the hall of Winterfell and allowed her happiness to erupt from her in a wide smile.

For as long as she could remember, she had been an outsider. Most men had mocked her for her height and ungainly features and made it clear she would make a good conquest but nothing more than that while women found it strange that she would behave so unladylike and dream of being a knight when she should be the lady of Tarth instead. Now she was standing here among this group of men and for the first time since she had bid her father and home farewell she felt a true sense of acceptance and belonging that was overwhelming.

“Ser Brienne, come drink with us!” Tyrion shouted now, startling her out of her reverie.

Brienne’s face changed back into her usual stern expression. “No drinks for me tonight, Lord Tyrion. I would prefer to keep a clear head.”

“One drink sure isn’t going to kill you, Ser,” Jaime spoke up, filling a cup half full with ale and handing it to her. “We could all be dead tomorrow. We should celebrate life while we still can.”

Brienne frowned at him but somewhat hesitantly took the cup from him anyway, her eyes widening when their fingers touched in the process. She felt her cheeks flush immediately and quickly took a larger gulp than intended to hide her embarrassment, out of the corner of her eye noticing Tyrion and Pod observing her with what could only be described as knowing smiles which made her blush even harder. Brienne emptied her cup and shoved it back into Jaime’s hand.

“I thank you for all this, Ser Jaime. I should really get some rest now though.” She did not dare to look him in the eye and turned on her heel so fast she would have lost her balance if it had not been for Tormund Giantsbane and the crushing embrace he pulled her into.

“Well deserved, Big Woman. You’re a true knight now thanks to our Kingkiller here.” He raised his drinking horn to Jaime who was still standing behind her and looking at them with a furrowed brow.

“Her name is Brienne,” she heard him say in a stern voice. “Call her by her name.”

Brienne watched with a mix of surprise and horror as Jaime lifted his golden hand a little as if he would not shy away from smacking Tormund Giantsbane with it.

Giantsbane let out a roaring laugh in response though and released Brienne from his tight grip to bow down in front of her. “Of course. My apologies, Ser Brienne.”

Brienne nodded curtly and looked back over her shoulder at Jaime, her eyes narrowed to slits. “Now if you’ll excuse me. I really need to rest.”

She made her way out of the hall as quickly as her feet would carry her; soon realizing that Jaime was following her. Brienne’s pace quickened immediately and she almost sighed with relief when Jaime disappeared from her view only to stop dead in her tracks when he suddenly emerged from a dark side corridor right in front of her.

“Ser Jaime. How-?”

“Not my first stay in this godforsaken place,” he replied to her unstated question. “I think I still remember most secret passages.”

Brienne nodded, tightening her shoulders. “What do you want, Ser Jaime? I’m a knight remember? I don’t need anyone to escort me to my chambers.”

Jaime chuckled. “Oh I know that all too well, Ser Brienne.” He looked at her intently for a moment, his face revealing no emotion whatsoever. “Why did you run?”

Brienne flinched for a split second. “I didn’t run. I told you-“

“You needed to rest. Yes, and tell that to someone who is stupid enough to believe you. No one sleeps in the face of imminent death. So I’ll ask you again – why did you run?”

“What does it matter to you what I do, Ser Jaime?” Brienne instinctively backed away when he came into full view and slowly made her way towards her.

“It matters to me because I’m tired of running in circles with no end in sight. Aren’t you sometimes?”

Brienne swallowed hard. She was not quite sure what to make of the course this conversation was taking but it made her want to back away further when he came even closer. _In the name of the warrior I charge you to be brave_ “Yes,” she heard herself say, her voice sounding strange and distant to her own ears.

“Will you stop running then?” Jaime was so close now she could feel his breath on her face and it made her go weak in the knees so she closed her eyes.

“I’m not running.”

Jaime could not help but smile. Stubborn woman. “Oh you are. Your eyes are squeezed shut tightly. I hope for all our sakes you do not intend to go into battle like that.”

Brienne huffed, her eyes opening slowly, almost hesitantly. “This isn’t a battle, Ser Jaime.”

“No, this is us.”

Brienne’s eyes widened on that notion, a look of cautious disbelief in those sapphire blue depths that once again made Jaime feel like wanting to drown in them and never come back to the surface.

“If we die on the morrow I need you to know I did not come to Winterfell for the sole purpose of keeping my oath to fight for the living.” Jaime paused and took a deep breath before continuing. “I came here because of you, Brienne.” He lowered his eyes as if he was afraid to see her reaction.

“Who’s running now?” he heard her ask softly and his lips curved into the faintest of smiles as she reached out to lift his head to make him look her in the eye again.

“Well, maybe I’m not fit for battle either then.”

“This isn’t a battle, remember? It’s just you and me. I trust you.”

Jaime’s heart did a leap in his chest. It was all he needed to hear from Brienne to close that last gap between them and crush his mouth to hers in a searing kiss that was forceful enough to make her stumble backwards into a nearby wall. He almost expected her to smack him in the face or shove him to the floor but when none of this occurred, he rested his forehead against hers to catch his breath and give her time to process what had just happened.

Before long Brienne’s lips were back on his as she returned the kiss with just as much force. The kiss was clumsy at first given her lack of experience but what she lacked in skill she made up for with determination. She was unsure of what to do with her hands so she tangled her fingers in Jaime’s magnificent golden hair streaked with silver.

He growled in response and that raw primal sound went straight to her core, igniting her body. Brienne felt like she was floating and her only anchor was Jaime so, with a shiver, she tightened her grip on his hair.

His lips left hers and for a brief moment, she mourned the loss of contact until he started placing hot kisses down her jaw to her neck where he began sucking on her pulse point.

The sensation of his teeth scraping the sensitive skin of her neck was overwhelming and a soft moan escaped her lips as her body melted into his without her being able to control it. It was all too much and yet not enough. Brienne wished there was a way to stop time so she could comprehend what she was feeling but simultaneously willed time to race to that inevitable moment where all pent-up emotions would be unleashed and burn and consume them like wildfire.

“Brienne.” Jaime’s voice close to her ear snapped her out of her trance. “We shouldn’t. Not like this with the world on the brink of crashing down on us.”

Brienne looked at him. Her eyes widened, her jaw dropped and all color drained from her face. “You told me to stop running,” she reminded him tonelessly. “Was it all a cruel jape to you?”

“Of course not.”

“Why did you make me a knight, Ser Jaime?”

He flinched for a split second at the formal title before replying to her question. “Because you deserve it, Ser Brienne. More than I ever did.”

“That’s not true, Ser Jaime. You are a man of-“

“Honor?” Jaime scoffed. “The seven hells I am. I pushed a boy out of a tower window. Crippled him for life. I smashed my cousin’s head with a rock. I would have murdered every man, woman, and child in Riverrun. All for the love of a woman I was forbidden to love the way I did. There is nothing honorable about that.”

“That is all in the past. You are not that man anymore. You are a good man now, Ser Jaime. You just have to start seeing it.”

“How am I supposed to do that when the whole world keeps holding my past against me?”

“I don’t.”

“I know and I am glad for it.” He grabbed her face with his good and golden hand and rested his forehead against hers again. “You’re so good and pure and honorable, Brienne,” he whispered. “You make me see the man I always wanted to be but am not. You deserve so much better than me.”

Brienne snorted. “Oh please. I know exactly who you are and if you think that reminding me of all your dishonorable deeds will make me change my mind about you and this you’re gravely mistaken.” She mirrored him, her hands coming to rest on either side of his handsome face. “The truth is my heart chose you a long time ago, Jaime Lannister. Too long ago for me to clearly remember when it all started. My choice is you. It will always be you.”

Jaime heaved a long weary sigh. “I don’t deserve you, Brienne of Tarth,” he repeated. “But I will pray to the old gods and the new that I can be the man worthy of your heart.”

The sound of a warhorn, blowing low and loud, rippled through the air, alerting them of the battle to come.

“Save your prayers for battle, Jaime,” Brienne said. “You already are that man and I need you to live.”

Jaime’s response was a kiss, his mouth descending upon hers hard and fast. It was a kiss full of passion, thankfulness and deep love and as they were hovering on the edge of tomorrow, ready to face the possibility of death, it felt like a promise of life and love.


End file.
